Upcoming programs at Berkshire Botanical Garden
STOCKBRIDGE – Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming programs. Thursday, May 2, “Spring Wildflowers.” In this two-part class, botanist Ted Elliman will focus on the wildflowers that grace Berkshire County’s spring woods. The evening program on Thursday, May 2, at 5 p.m. on Zoom, will present an overview of native wildflowers found in several kinds of forest communities in the Berkshires, with a focus on their identification features and particular habitats. The Saturday, May 4 walk, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be in woodlands notable for the beauty, abundance, and variety of their spring flora. There will be a BBG van option for up to 10 people on Saturday, May 4, departing at 10 a.m. and returning at 2 p.m. Please bring lunch to enjoy in the field. Cost $50 members, $100 nonmembers; Saturday, May 4, “New Moon Botanical Bounty: Creating and Using Herbal infused Oils.” Delight in a spring-inspired tea while making lip balms, skin salves, and roll-on perfume/bug repellent energized by the Flower Moon from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In this beginner-friendly class led by Nicole Irene, participants will learn techniques to extract the healing properties of herbs and infuse them into nourishing oils. This workshop will empower participants to harness the healing potential of nature. All students will make and take home a lip balm, salve, infused oil, mason jar of herbs, and a handout with basic instructions. These aromatic treasures will serve as a reminder of your enchanting experience and the mason jar of herbs can be used to infuse future batches of oil. This workshop welcomes all enthusiasts who share a passion for the power of plants. Cost $65 members, $80 nonmembers; Saturday, May 4, “Spring Tree Identification.” In this class, from 9 a.m. to noon, and led by Tom Ingersoll and Melissa LeVangie-Ingersoll, participants will revisit trees through the seasons (this class will look at the Spring season) and witness their unique characteristics with and without leaves. Identify species of trees as their leaves begin to sprout, ID a tree by its bark, and understand which trees flower in spring. Come join in the journey of the magic of trees, starting with how to identify them in the landscape and forest settings. Cost $50 members, $65 nonmembers; Saturday, May 4, “Cultivating Mushrooms Outside.” Start spring early with a dive into the fungal kingdom from 1 to 3 p.m. Instructor Willie Crosby will teach participants how to inoculate logs, wood chips and stumps for mushroom cultivation in your backyard. Learn the basic information everyone should know about fungi and get hands-on experience doing these easy-to-replicate growing methods. By the end of class, you will be familiar with six different wild mushroom species, and three cultivation techniques. Cost $40 members, $60 nonmembers. To register or for more information, visit www.berkshirebotanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.
Gardening workshop
WARE – Ware Grange’s first gardening workshop of the year, “Getting a Head Start with Annual Flowers,” will be held on Monday, April 29 at 7 p.m. at the Grange Hall at 297 Belchertown Road. The presenter will be Roberta McQuaid, author of the weekly “In the Garden” column for Turley Publications. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn about easy-to-grow annual flowers and leave with two seed packs to grow at home and then plant into your garden. Visit them on Facebook or at waregrange.org for more information.
Spring plant sale
WILBRAHAM – The Wilbraham Friends of the Library (WFOL) is holding a plant sale featuring two varieties of annuals. The sale will be pre-order only through May 15 with plant pick up on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Wilbraham Public Library, 25 Crane Park Drive. They will be offering annuals: Begonias (pink or white) and Petunias (blue); large plants in 5-in pots that are ready to plant and show off. Plants are $5 each and available by pre-order only. Pick up an order form at the library or download from online. You can also request an order form by emailing friends@wilbrahamlibrary.org. Return your order with payment to the library during regular business hours.
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